On The Outside
by bgbthenotorious
Summary: This is a story about the stubborn ways of a superman society that refuse to disappear with the changing times. Follow Momo, Kendo, and Salvatore through a journey that will either pull them together or tear them a sunder. Rated M for obvious reason, not heavy on quirk focus but its there. Nothing is owned except OCs, art is not mine, owner is on deviant art(should be in tag of pic
1. Two Worlds

**Chapter 1: Two Worlds **

Life in a super human society can more arduous than one might think. Most of the world's population has a quirk. There are those who still are without a quirk, commonly referred to as quirkless. How people in society treated those who are without quirks was deplorable. It was becoming a human rights issue across the world and most leaders hoped the problem would be washed away as every year there are less and less individuals who are quirkless. But that is only the surface of a broken society, the first canary to chirp the alarm for everyone.

As powers grew, molded, adapted, and became something truly powerful in human history it started to affect the social dynamic of society in many ways. Value became tied to a quirk and how powerful it is, families began to value power. In an evolutionary sense it was justified, powerful children meant a better life and better opportunities for the next generation. Wealthy families took pride in this, and used quirks to enhance their fortunes. With this mentality many people committed horrible atrocities, people were becoming lost. Even worse, criminal activity was at all-time high for society.

Then something miraculous happened, All Might appeared and changed the world. Slowly people began to feel safe, have a since of a future, and ideal of a better society came among them. Crime dropped significantly, leaders all over the world began to take a proactive approach to regulations, heroes, and quirks in society. The hero of justice, the symbol of peace was born during the darkest of times for humanity. However, there were still those that still clung to the old world of things and its ideals.

One such family was still following an old ideal of family. They have been a significant figure in society around the world for several generations. Each picking and grooming the next generation to take the reins of the family and its interests. Each head of the family did whatever it took for the family to live on, whether it was to build relationships with villains or heroes didn't concern them. The only thing of value is the survival of the family going forward. There was always a lot of grey when there only white and black sides in the world.

This family has taken one of the most coveted positions in the world, being the wealthiest family. They were the first to reach a trillion-dollar net worth in their fourth generation. From there they expanded and became villainized just by the fact of being wealthy. It was questionable as to the family's interests and where they laid, they owned several companies involved in unethical quirk development and it didn't help that the fifth generation was aligned with Meta Liberation Army. And the sixth head didn't do much to remove the family from other than ignoring it.

That leads us to the were we are now. The sixth generation was passing on the torch and responsibilities to the seventh generation, his son Salvatore Cifer. His father was not one for non-sense or for sugar coating anything either, he was always very clear on what his intentions were for his son. Salvatore was born into a world that not many could understand, many could only envy on the outside, but the truth was he was very different.

Like each generation before him, his mother was selected based on several meticulous criteria to ensure the best possible wife for his father as well as a woman who could bare a stronger heir to the family. She had a strong quirk and fierce intelligence, and despite being around his father for so many years, she had warm soul and a spirit to care for anyone. Whether or not his father loved his mother was hard to say, his father was very impassive towards his family, even when his little brother joined the family.

Once he turned six years old, he was pulled away, trained to understand how to manage a massive empire for the rest of his life. Salvatore was built up in every possible way to achieve success, so much so it became a part of him. Due to genetic selection he had a very powerful quirk and an intelligence that could rival the greatest in history. He was quick to understand concepts and apply them. However, there was one area he couldn't ever move past.

He knew what would happen if he failed the family, his father would oust him and force the role onto his brother. He was only seven years old when he made the decision and the forced understanding that he had a purpose that was forced on him. His brother was only two years old and he couldn't be the big brother that would fail him. He decided to seal away any emotion that was not needed to fulfill his father's goals, he felt that love and family weren't needed and thus crushed the hopeful part of his soul, making sure that it would no longer be a part of his life. He was groomed to be a machine, a tool for the family and he took it on so his brother would never have to suffer his father's demands ever in his life.

[ A ]

As with every story, there is of course another side to the world. Children of this generation couldn't help to rally behind hope and heroes. They grew up in an era of peace and tranquility. Many wanted to be heroes for both noble reasons and some for person reasons. It was a society that was becoming something great again with those that sought for the justice for all in the world.

Many pro heroes came and went, and this man certainly lived the dream of a pro hero. Haru Kendo was a veteran hero having to retire a little earlier than expected to raise his daughter Itsuka. His wife was the unfortunate casualty of a villain attack was their family had just begun. As many pros know, you can't save everyone. You can only save the ones who in your reach. It was tough for him to take, but it was a little easier on Itsuka since she was very little and never had any strong memories of her mother.

Neither one of them were bitter, thought Haru couldn't help but to sink into himself every year that was anniversary of her passing. He had to always focus on that Itsuka needed him and she was their legacy, she was his wife's legacy. Every day Itsuka was growing up to look like her mother, her hair, her personality, her drive, and enthusiasm toward helping others. She even took on the bossy aspect of her mother's personality. And every day he looked at her and took to school he was reminded why he wanted to be pro hero and the sacrifices they made for society.

Itsuka was a young woman who know what she wanted, fought hard for her on way, never wanted to compromise on the rules, and most of all wanted to be a hero like her father was. But there was one event that would push her to become a hero more than anything ever could. She must have been ten years old at the time, and it was an event that her father was invited to. Haru worked alongside All Might several times in capturing many harden villains. It was an event that was to celebrate another hero who was retiring, honoring their service to society. Many pro heroes where there, along with many wealthy families.

There was a boy standing next to a very prominent figure. He was dressed very well and was groomed well. He looked to be maybe two years older than her. She was happy to see another child there and one that was close to her age. It was an event she had to attend because her father didn't have someone to care for her, but she enjoyed seeing the other pro heroes most were very nice, only one that was shrouded in flames was a pretty rude individual. She had a hard time understanding how he was a hero, but did her best to ignore him and stay focused on the boy on the other side of the room.

He looked like he wasn't enjoying himself, maybe a bit bored. She decided to walk over to him once the man next to him left his side. As she got closer, she saw his skin was pretty evenly darken, almost tanned a golden color paired with his jet-black hair covering his head. He was a little taller than her, but what was most striking was his eyes, a deep ruby red color that almost glowed in the dimly light hall. He didn't look in her direction just yet, it was almost like he was avoiding her. Maybe he was just shy, it was a room full of adults and the only other child there was the daughter of the Yaoyorozu family. So, it was two girls and one boy, she guessed his shyness could be allowed.

"Hello! My name is Itsuka Kendo, what's your name?" The boy looked over to her, and what she saw she could only know as sadness, he looked like he was out of it or maybe something bad happened to him. There wasn't any life in his eyes and his face was very stoic for a child around her age. He took a few minutes to respond, but he eventually did.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Salvatore Cifer." She was too young to understand the name she was hearing but she was old enough to see that there were many things burdening the boy. He was very polite and well spoken. She just smiled in return hoping it would shake the boy out of his trance.

"Do you want to go outside? It's pretty boring in here with just the adults around." She gestured over to the open balcony that over looked the city. They weren't too high up, but it was enough to get a great view. "Come on …" She just turned and slowly went to the balcony, her father saw and gave her his cheesy smile, taking note that she was leading a boy outside. "See doesn't that feel better? The nice fresh air."

"I suppose …" Was all the words he spoke as he looked straight forward to take in the view of the city. He didn't seem all that interested in watching everyone going about their business. His hands were in his pockets, and he just decided to stand next to her but put some distance between them. They remained there for a bit in silence as she waited for the right words to come to her, but she was too young to know what to talk about. She at least didn't want to talk about heroes since he looked like he didn't want to be there.

It wasn't too much longer that the other girl came to join them, happening to catch a glimpse of them walking to the balcony. She had a bit of a bounce in her step, much too innocent to understand much yet outside her world. "Hello, I'm Momo Yaoyorozu, may I ask who you are?" She directed the question to Itsuka as it appeared, she was already familiar with Salvatore Cifer. "And, its pleasant surprise to see you again Cifer."

"Oh, my name is Itsuka Kendo. It nice to meet you too." She happily greeted Momo as she finally got to them. She looked to be the same age as her. The two over them quickly started to converse about many things from who they are, why they wanted to be heroes, how they wanted to go to a top school for hero training, and they dream of what the future should be. Both girls still seemed to rooted in their innocence and their dreams for what could be only saw the light in everything.

Cifer was listening intently on their conversation, thought he never really provided his input. He wanted to be a hero but he could become one. He was tasked with something that was chained to him since birth. He wasn't a part of their world, he had already sat in on several meetings with his father, been tutored by the leading experts in economics, sciences, and history. He was groomed to be well cultured individual, using every tool at his disposal to further the family's company and interests.

He wondered where his father walked off to with Mr. Yaoyorozu. It was a bit perplexing to him. Though he was sure he his father had his reasons, and he was grateful to be excused from his father's presence to catch a bit of a break. One of the few times he was able to let his mind wonder on topics that he would be scolded for. However, he mostly pondered if there was anything in his life that he could call his own, his own choice, his own path. As of now it seemed his father had interictally laid out his life from start to finish.

The group of children must have been out there for a while as Salvatore's father stepped into the entry way back into the hall, he only bellowed a short set of words in his deep voice. "Salvatore, come … we are done here …" The boy did as he was told but Itsuka saw the reluctance to be by his father's side, those red eyes showed the sadness again but this time there was something else that she wouldn't understand until much later. The older man looked over to Itsuka to whisper something to his son, "Do not associate with such trash, the orange-haired girl is not one you should associate yourself with …" She heard it thought she didn't know if the other adults around her heard. But one thing was for sure, the boy tensed up at those words. She could see it in the motion of his hair.

That was the last Itsuka saw of the boy and the image of him forever etched into her memory becoming a big part of why she wanted to be a hero. She was going to prove that older man's words wrong, and become a true hero and save everyone. Including the boy, she had just met.

[ A ]

It was many years later and Itsuka was graduating from U.A. and her life as a hero was just beginning. She was joined by her classmate that through internships and class competitions have built a close bound to, Momo Yaoyorozu. They both had their ups and downs throughout their journey. Each time they helped pull each other up, overcame their obstacles to become heroes, helped each other through awkward crushes they had on their fellow classmates. Aside from the few villain attacks, their time at U.A. was amazing and they would never forget it.

It was the last week at the dorms and they decided to hit up a restaurant not too far away from campus. It was a welcome treat for all the hard work they had to go through to get to where they were today. Yes, they did watch many of their classmates push forward like Midoriya and Todoroki, in turn providing fuel for them to keep pushing forward. They both ended up top in their classes and overall Momo managed to take the top spot in their year followed closely by Midoriya.

The two ladies even had a plan on which agency they should join and which hero would best help them grow. Momo was focused more on rescue work while Itsuka was focused more villain apprehension work. But Itsuka never forgot that boy she saw years ago, if she could help someone like him from being saddened in the world then she felt it was her duty as a hero to do so. She made sure to excel at victim analysis and calming people through a crisis. She learned to fight better and better as the days went on, she didn't want to give any villain an edge. She honed her martial arts, learned new styles, became proficient at fighting, and made sure she was able to use her quirk to the best of her abilities. All the countless hours training and study was going to be her asset going forward in her career as a pro hero.

Her father was overjoyed at her performance at U.A. and was glad she kept herself grounded through it all not letting her success go to her head. It would never change who she was, it was all fuel for what she knew she had to become if she wanted to be a hero. Her friend Momo has helped it along too, and most would have pegged her for a spoiled rich girl. But once you talk to her, anyone could see that she was a kind person, very goal oriented, always critical of herself never put anyone down, always eager to help a fellow student, and most importantly wanted to look out for everyone. She was class 1-A's mom, while Itsuka was class 1-B's big sister. Both of them seemed to help keep their classmates focused on their studies.

Everything was looking to be a bright future for everyone, and society had faith in their heroes even after the loss of All Might. There was some uncertainty but the next generation of heroes was ready to carry the mantle forward and work together. Momo was always hopeful for the future, and a very infectious positive attitude that spread through everyone.

It wasn't long before they reached the restaurant, it was weekday so it wasn't too crowded. Itsuka had to admit to one thing though, being friends with Momo did have its benefits, she was always able to get into a lot of places that usually were packed or just didn't want an average crowd of people. This place was one of those places, they weren't rude once they realized that it was Momo who brought them and their friends in, but today was just the two of them for lunch.

They both took a seat by the window up front and placed their usual orders. It was always quiet and pleasant in here, they always at a good time talking and going over their studies. But today was going to be the last day they eat there as U.A. students, but it was also a day that they would meet someone they haven't seen in a long time, someone Itsuka thought she would never see again. Though she didn't recognize him at first until she got a look at his ruby colored eyes and that never forgotten downcast look mixed with his stoic façade. But he has changed much since they were children. He was much taller now, definitely taller than she was, His beard had grown in, the black speckles of hair even though he looked to cleaned shaven, and the dark black hair that was styled back. If it wasn't for the stoic façade covering the emotions, he was hiding she would say he was quite handsome.

She was about to get a closer look due to Momo waving him over to their table. Momo was from a wealthy family and most likely had meet him a few more times over the years. Itsuka followed the news and his name and family was in it a lot, and she always saw him standing next to an older man. She didn't know who he was but given how they looked similar even though one would have to have the two men next to each other, she had to guess he was his father or a relative.

As she got older, she paid more attention to the news and the all the tabloids on him. Momo said she had a weird obsession with the young man. But whenever they talked about the man Momo seemed to retreat a little bit, and whenever she tried to ask more about him Momo deflected the conversation. Itsuka took it was she just didn't want to gossip about another wealthy person and their family. He quietly took seat next to her, breaking her from her trance.

"Greetings ladies …" he didn't really look her way and despite the greeting she couldn't help but to be a little put off by him. He could at least acknowledge she was there next to him, but his entire focus was on Momo at the moment. This was one of the few times her mind went to a place she didn't like but couldn't help to think about it. She always had a habit of comparing herself to Momo. Itsuka wasn't ugly by any means but when she was around Momo she felt she was always lacking and finding a date was always a challenge. She didn't want to be the pump and dump girl, she had too much respect for herself and it would only disappoint her father.

She shook the thoughts out of her head, and stayed quiet as Momo and him started to converse. His voice though was laced with regret as he spoke. Did he do something to Momo? What could it be? Luckily their orders made it to the table. She glad to have something else to occupy herself with while she listened in to her friend.

"Hello Cifer, I didn't expect to see you suddenly. What brings you here?" Momo was polite as always, but this time she was holding something back something. It was as if the face she had was a bit forced. Momo seemed happy to see him but at the same time there was some tension between the two of them.

"Actually, I had some free time and decided I wanted to …" At his words Momo's eyes darted over to her and then back to Cifer. He must have noticed it too and dropped the subject immediately. Maybe it was business related and Momo didn't want to talk about it with her here. Itsuka figured they will talk about it later. "Forgive me, how are you … ladies doing today?" He was looking over to her know, conveniently as she was putting a bite into her mouth. Such perfect timing.

"O-Oh …" Itsuka took a moment to swallow. "I'm well, by the way I am …" He quickly interrupted her before she could continue.

"My apologies for not introducing myself to you Kendo, I assumed you remembered we met years ago." His voice was sincere but it was needlessly blunt as well. She wanted to say something but decided she should just hold back. Was this really the same boy she remembered all those years ago with the look of despair on his face that was callously hidden by a stoic façade? She just continued eating and tried not to make eye contact with the man.

"Cifer how are you doing?" Momo's voice a pleasant thing hear suddenly, she was probably trying to defuse some of the tension.

"I am well since we last spoke." That statement seemed to be register as a lie to Itsuka. He was hiding something, but why would he lie about his own well-being? "I hope you are well, the last time we spoke was not quite as …" he paused for moment before continuing, "pleasant as anyone would have hoped. I hope you can forgive my father, he can rather … abrasive at times."

Oh okay, now this was getting to her. So, the two of them are more than just acquaintances. She knew now that she was going to have question Momo about it later, and it for sure was going to be like pulling teeth out of her friend. Momo was the type to internalize her issues sometimes, trying to overcome them herself. So, she made a mental note to talk to her when they got back to the dorms about it. But it would have to wait as her phone went off with a message from her father. She forgot he wanted to spend some time today and celebrate her hard work.

"Momo, I have to leave. I'm sorry, I forgot that I had to spend time with my dad today, and well he's probably bored right now. I'll see ya later night." She waved off her friend and Cifer to leave the restaurant. She her card for Momo to pay her share of the meal. Her thoughts were a bit of a jumble right now, so maybe some time with her dad would do her some good.

[ A ]

Cifer watched as the young lady with orange hair walked out of the restaurant, but he was quickly focused back on Momo, it was here he was here to address to begin with. And now that her friend had given them some privacy, he had a few things he wanted to say. There was a lot to say, a lot that needed to be said by him, and a lot he felt he needed to apologize for. Even with his immense intelligence he couldn't find a tactful way to start for her, and what was he really supposed to say.

He took a breath and figure it might be a great way to start by paying for her friend's and her bill for the mean time. "Here let me take care of Kendo's bill, it's the least I can do for being … a bit rude to her." His voice was much softer now. He was working hard at keeping his composure as well as his stoic wall up. He didn't know why such a sweet young woman would want to even give him the time of day. "Yaoyorozu … I …"

"That was nice of you, you really didn't have too." She didn't have a single shred of hatred toward him, when she has every right to. She was certainly a puzzle to him. Even though she was showing happiness in her eyes, anyone could see the sorrow of knowing that she will be forced into a future she didn't want.

"I'm sorry for everything … I'm sorry for my father, I will work to free you from this burden. There is no need for any of this, my family is wealthy enough and you should be free to pursue your dreams…" He was desperately trying to hold it together. He didn't want something in his life if it was forced. He already knew of what the outcome of a forced relationship was, but at the same time Momo had a lot of his mother in her. She was very intelligent and in the same breath was a very caring person at heart.

She didn't look upset at his words, if he could put a word to it maybe she was grateful. Most of his life was spent with businessmen and the only emotion he saw most of the time was on that was encouraged by greed or by despair. But she was showing him something different. "Ah … Cifer that is really sweet of you, and I really do appreciate it. But I have come to terms with it long ago, my parents were looking out for my best interests." Her eyes looked watery all of a sudden while he could only show her his stoic look void of emotions. This was not what he planned, he didn't mean to make her cry.

"I'm sorry, didn't intend to make you cry …" She gracefully wiped her eyes dry and smiled back at him. For some reason he couldn't read her at all, maybe it was just the lack of interactions he had with normal people.

"Cifer, it's okay." She smiled again, "I promise they not tears of sadness, I was just … I was just a little moved by your words. I wasn't expecting you to say that." She recomposed herself quickly, probably because they were in public. "I'm sure everything will work out the way it is supposed to."

He didn't know what she meant by that. How could he? He grew up being taught that his was going to be the head of the Cifer family and that he will bend the world to the course of the family desires. He expected her to push him away, be furious and take it on him, that he could handle. That was something he was used to. "I should go … I caused you enough trouble as it is …" He went to get up but she stopped by placing her hand on his. He flinched from her touch, he wasn't expecting her to do that of all things.

"I would like it if you stayed a bit, if that's alright?" She quickly pulled her hand back and he noticed a very, very faint pink hue on her cheeks. It was old to see since the only time he ever saw flushed cheeks was on older men who he had done business with, and she surely was not old. He was internally cursing a childhood of board meetings and his lack of interaction with children his own age.

"I can stay if you like … I don't have anything planned for the rest of the day." He spoke calmly as he could hoping to not make her cry. It was a good thing father wasn't here for any of this, he would have gotten a lecture of how he shouldn't be so open with her. To his father Momo was merely a tool for the family, a woman who would hopefully produce a strong heir for the next generation. Given their quirk sets he was sure his father wanted a hand in that to, hoping both quirks would meld together into one extreme power. That thought didn't sit well with him.

"I'm sorry that I won't have much in the way of good conversation …" He didn't know of what to say, the only woman he ever talked to outside of work was his mother. His point of reference was very limited, the only think he was grateful for was his stoic nature was helping not become flustered.

"It's okay Cifer, while I don't know much about you other than simple greetings over the years, I would like to tell you a little about myself. I mean we will be bond together soon …" She looked down at her half-eaten plate, her eyes looked a little like his at the moment. Wanting to be half closed hoping It change what they were seeing. Did his own eyes look that cold to everyone? He wished that this didn't happen, he felt like he was taking her life from her, he was denying her freedom. He was fine with his life being denied his dreams but he didn't want such beautiful soul to suffer a cold life that he was destined to walk. Why did his father have to arrange a marriage between them?

[ A ]

Momo was beside herself at the moment. Her thoughts were everywhere and she didn't know what to do. She was just sitting in the dark in her dorm room, late at night. She wanted to yell into her pillow and release the frustration she had about being in an arranged marriage to man she barely knew. There were no romantic feelings involved, it was a simple business deal. Her family suffered heavy blow to their businesses and the Cifer was there or rather Giovanni Cifer was there like a lamprey to latch onto a corpse.

She can remember the look in the elder Cifer's eyes, they cold and tempered with resolved to acquire the things he wanted. That was a day she has never seen her father so worried and almost like he was nervous. She shook her head, it was silly to focus on such things. The deal was done and she agreed to it to help her family and all the people that work for them.

Besides it wasn't all bad she thought, Salvatore wasn't like his father. She only got to meet him a handful of times and all she could really gather was that he was holding something back, it didn't help either that he was a man a few words. However, when he did speak, he managed to say words that could always put her at ease. And each time he did that she felt a spark or rather a faint warm feeling in her chest fill her. Should she be feeling anything other than anger towards this? She knew it was only rational for anyone to feel angry at a situation like this, but she really couldn't. She just wasn't that type of person, she could never harbor such feelings for anyone.

Most of the class has already moved out, no was forced to stay in the dorms until the day of the ceremony. She sent a message to Itsuka hoping she was still awake. She needed someone to talk to and Kyoka was with her family tonight so that only left Itsuka. She never harbored any resentment toward Cifer, but the recent meeting and today she had to admit to herself that he was growing on her. But what was most looming on her mind was the thought of her arranged marriage to Cifer, and now that she was graduating it was time for their part of the agreement to officially start the engagement process. Him and her would start to get to know each other through an arranged courtship phase.

Cifer's father was very calculating, he must have figured that the two of them would interact with each other and eventually form a bond between each other. But what she was feeling now was more than obligation. Those words he spoke today filled her heart more than she ever expected, she was constantly replaying his words in her head. His voice at that time didn't match what the stoic shell he had on the outside. His voice felt soft and reassuring, she felt as if he truly had her best in mind when he said those words. It wasn't a false sense of security.

It wasn't too long before she heard a knock at her door, breaking her from her trance. She quickly got up to get the door, she wasn't expecting Itsuka to be there but this works better for her. She really wanted her friend to be here with her, though she knew it was selfish of her to want to take her friend's time away from her. "Sorry, Itsuka … didn't mean to impose …" Her friend only smiled after seeing how she must have looked like wreck.

"It's not a big deal, Momo. Besides it looks like you are upset about something." She closed the door behind her as Momo turned a light on to a dim setting to help let her eyes adjust a little better. Momo sat on her bed while Itsuka took her desk chair. It was quiet for a moment as Momo was trying to get her thoughts together. It was a weird problem to thing anyone would have in this day and age; an arranged marriage was thought to be a thing of the past. "Come on Momo, you don't have to hold in. Did Cifer say something to you after I left?"

"No … well … it wasn't bad, I promise Itsuka." She turned her head away from her friend feeling a little uneasy of how she would react to what she has to say. "Itsuka, there is something that I have kept to myself for a long time. My family has long ago made an arranged marriage of me to Cifer. I don't know the details, but I was fully aware of it and agreed to it a long time ago." She inhaled and exhaled to help calm herself down. She looked to her friend to see the look of shock on her face, Momo was worried what she was going to say.

"Wait, did I hear you right Momo?" Itsuka blinked several times as if she was rebooting her brain. "Okay so let me get this clear. You are supposed to marry Cifer for an agreement with your parents and his, then you okay and even accepted the arranged marriage, so now are you changing your mind?" Itsuka leaned forward a little bit. "Are you have second thoughts or are you in love with someone else?"

Momo had to think for a moment, was she truly having second thoughts? No, she was sure about the marriage, she agreed to it for her family and because of it the people who worked for their businesses still had their livelihoods. But her last question sent a pang through her, she almost felt put off by it. Why was she getting upset at that thought of her liking someone else? She was sure she wasn't in love with Cifer, though he has grown on her. But she viewed it as getting to know a friend, she was just getting see a little bit past that stone exterior he had over himself. But it wasn't like he was a bad looking man, he had a nice set of features that contrasted well with each other, and those eyes of his were beautiful to her. The stunning deep ruby color always caught her attention.

But was most intriguing to her was his personality. At first, she thought of him as callous, cold, and calculating much like his father. But after she starting talking to him, she started to see he was not what she thought he was. He wasn't cold, but he didn't let his emotions show. He wasn't calculating in his motions, but he was clear a very intelligent young man that paid attention to details. But he was hiding something in him, and when she would look into his eyes, she could that he was being weighed down with an immense sorrow. She didn't know what it was, but she wanted to help him find his way out of it.

"Itsuka, I don't like anyone at the moment. Since I knew of the arranged marriage and didn't pay any attention to boys. I didn't want to open up to someone who I wasn't going to be able to share a future with." Her heart was staring to beat faster and her vision was starting to blur a bit form her tears. She was feeling an array of emotions, wasn't from suppressing how she felt about her predicament? No, she wasn't holding in any anger. "It's just I don't know how I am supposed to feel. I should be angry but I'm not. And every time I talk to Cifer I got a chance to see just a little bit past the walls he built up. But I don't know how he feels about it other than he said he will free me from it."

Itsuka wasn't expecting that, she was sure from meeting him today that he was rude and abrasive but then Momo had to say something like that and it reminded her of the first time they actually met. The time was she was a little girl who saw a boy who was extremely sad and was cutting himself off from the world. She made a promise to herself that day she was going to help save him, and become a true hero people can count on. "Momo, did he really say such a thing? I mean he came off a little rude to me, nothing like the boy I met years ago."

"He said he didn't want to be the one take my future away and he work to free me from the obligation of marrying him. He said something about his family had enough wealth and didn't need to pull my family into it." She was crying, something in her was switched on and she could find what it was at the moment. "When he said that, all I could see is a broken soul and I wanted to help him."

Momo had the same desire as she did, Momo wanted to help Cifer and pull him to the light. Pull him out of the darkness he was made to wander in. It was going to be a tough task for either of them or for anyone for that matter. "I felt the same thing, when I looked at him, it was like he was walking through a cloud. He seemed lonely to me, like he could only focus on one thing in his life." Itsuka looked down to the floor, she was starting feel some of the heaviness Cifer was holding in him. "He seems like he has a lot going on, maybe more than anyone one person can help."

Momo let her friend's words sink in for a bit, she was starting to calm down a bit. She was supposed to meet with Cifer again in a few days. They were required to have regular meetings with each other once she has graduated. Maybe she can get him to open up more, maybe she should meet him at his house. Should she do that? She knew where he lived, but would it be prudent? He didn't let know it was okay or that she was invited.

[ A ]

It was an empty home that was in a high rise. The rooms were dark from the night, and the only thing that filled the air was the sound of strong hits against a punching bag. Each strike was getting louder and louder with each passing minute. Cifer was working off the frustrations he was feeling at the moment, and there was a lot despite the deadpanned look he was carrying on his face. His mind was filled with so much at the moment that all he could do was repeatedly strike the punching bag. He was attempting to work out or practice some of the many forms of martial arts he had learned over the years.

He began working out as a way to control and vent the anger he always felt over the years. He was always angry at his father for taking his life away from him, for taking his dream away from him. He was angry for what he had taken from his mother, he was angry from what he would do to his brother if he refused to take the mantle, he was furious about having to marry a woman who must have been a saint for not showing any resentment. But when was causing him to boil over the edge was that he is supposed to marry Yaoyorozu and this orange-haired woman was plaguing his mind.

He certainly got a good look at Kendo, she has definitely changed since the last he saw her. He was quick to take in her form, her toned legs, the tight figure she had from years of hero training, the teal colored eyes that matched her glowing orange hair. He just couldn't rid his mind of her. He would close his eyes and see her, when he just thought about her his heart started to skip its beats. He felt different and it angered him. He didn't like the feeling of losing control.

Why was he thinking of her of all people? He wasn't one to believe in things like love at first sight or believing in soul mates. He had to be practical about things, first he was already arranged to marry Yaoyorozu by their families, secondly, they were already engaged. Think such lustful thoughts about another woman would bring only pain to Momo. And he was sure he was already the source of a lot of misery for her.

He fell to the floor exhausted from hours of working out, his body was covered in sweat as he sat on the cold floor. He ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to wipe away the sweat. He was a wreck and he was disappointed in himself. He should focus on trying to free Momo from this prison his father created, she didn't have to suffer with him.

He tried to focus on other things, but he couldn't focus on the family business it only reminded him of his father. He was doing as much as possible to try and avoid him. He thought about Momo, she did have a lot of great qualities that a man would love to have in wife. She was intelligent, very goal oriented, and a very caring personality. Physically she was stunning, he would always catch the looks she would get from men of all ages, even some women looking her way. He would be a fool to deny that he wasn't physical attracted and aware of her. But it wouldn't be right to force her into this, he should push her away if he couldn't break off the engagement.

Yes, maybe that would free her to at least find someone that would not be a source of pain and regret for her, but a source of strength and happiness for her. He could never give her that happiness that she deserves, even more so now that his mind didn't want to see her and only wanted another woman. A woman who just happened to be a friend of hers. He tried very hard to push the orange-haired woman out of his mind, rationalizing it by telling himself he didn't know anything about her other than her name.

Suddenly he wanted to see more of Kendo, and the more he fought to push her image out of his head the more he wanted see her. He felt like a terrible person, and he was becoming angry with himself. He let out a breath and decided it might be best to call it a night. Take a quick shower and then clear his mind. He saw he had text from Momo but decided to just ignore it for now. It could wait for the morning. For now, he just needed to rest his mind and his body, a maybe focus on work for once to pull him away from this dilemma.

{Author Notes}

I have been outlining this story for a while now, when I created this character Cifer, I bounced around a lot of ideas, he is not Ulquiorra from bleach but I did base some the emotional control off of that character.

Hope everyone liked it!


	2. Chasing a Dream

**Chapter Two: Chasing a Dream**

It was their first date, sort of. It was an arranged meeting between her and the man she was soon going to be marrying. It was a quiet evening; the restaurant was very peaceful and serene. Momo was sitting across from him slowly eating her dessert. He was a quiet man, but he also didn't seem to be focused on them right now, it could be about the family business. It was a huge multibillion-euro business, a mark of success that it was measured in a foreign currency.

"Cifer … is everything okay? You seem a little quiet, I mean a bit quieter than you usually are." She tried to grab his attention, she wasn't having much luck in getting to know him. It felt like it was a one-sided conversation.

"Sorry, I'm … just a little distracted …" He wasn't looking at her as he spoke. She had a weird feeling that she was being rejected. She didn't know why she felt that, it was an odd feeling to say the least. "You know you don't have to do this, right?" He took a sip of his coffee. He looked like he was nervous about telling her something.

"What do you mean Cifer?" She was a little curious. Both families had a meeting about the arrangement and the details have all been laid out. She knew enough of him to gather he wasn't a bad person, he certainly was no like his father. He was rather reserved in his words and actions, though if the few times she had met him before she couldn't recall him ever showing any emotion.

"I told you before you before that I will free you of this burden, you are not forced to do anything you do not wish." His cold exterior came out to cover him again. That wall was hard to see through, he had it up with years of practice. His eyes, however, showed the feelings he was holding deep inside. It took her awhile to begin to map them out but each time she would get a little better at seeing through them to some of the emotions that lay beneath them. And right now, he was looking like he was fighting a conflicting thought.

"I am aware, but Cifer I said too that I am okay with this arrangement. And you're not a bad person, and I'm glad it's you of all people because it would be hard to do this someone I truly didn't know." She wanted to quell his thoughts about this marriage between them but in truth she didn't know too much about him. She knew of him but other than some formal meetings he was a complete stranger to her. She only knew he was kind enough to try a let her have the option to not go through with the arrangement.

"Cifer, I would like to get to know you a bit better… if you will let me …" She took another bit of her dessert, she was feeling a little timid about her words. She didn't know how he was going to respond, and unfortunately, he was interrupted by his phone to continue the conversations. His face went completely blank now, she wasn't able to read him at the moment.

"I apologize Yaoyorozu, there seems to be something I have to take care of …" He flagged a waiter over to pay for everything, but despite seeming to be in a rush he still waited for her. He wasn't going to leave her by herself in the restaurant. It was these subtle acts of kindness that managed to change her view of him. She got up to follow him out as he made sure she got to her car safely. All her friends from U.A. would complain about not finding a guy with manners or even one that would even do half the thing he would do for her. Could she really be upset?

"Thank you Cifer, for the wonderful evening." She looked back to him as he waited for to enter her car. He just nodded back to her, his hand was still in his pocket as the other was helping her into her car. She watched him as she pulled off, she didn't know what to think at the moment but for an odd reason she was looking forward to having the chance to meet him again.

[ A ]

It was a little later than normal for him to be walking about the city at night. Though, nothing was really going to happen with the amount of heroes on patrol and with crime being down at the moment, he wasn't too worried about something happening. He was just lost in his thoughts and was hoping to meet up with Kendo. He couldn't fully reject Momo for some reason, he wanted to make sure it was her choice and not his. This arrangement was quickly becoming a bother to him, at least it was recently. He wasn't expecting to ever develop feelings like these in his life. And of course, fate would have it, they formed for a woman that he wasn't supposed to be with.

This was becoming quite the mess for him, Salvatore always liked that he had sense of order to his life. It was the one thing he could control but now it felt like he was trying to sneak around and grab at something he greedily wanted. He couldn't help it, Kendo was on his mind whenever he would try to focus on something else. He found himself getting eager to meet with her, he couldn't put his finger on it but every time he would see her it was like his heart would stop or speed up to a crazy speed.

He left Yaoyorozu behind tonight to respond to her call. This wasn't fair at all to Momo, she didn't deserve any of that. He didn't know why he could feel anything for this other woman, and then have hardly anything for this nice woman he was supposed to marry. If he had friends, they would tell him he was crazy, Momo was any man's dream come true. She certainly had the looks and physical assets, she was intelligent, and she had great dreams she wanted to live up to. Was it that he felt like he was tearing those dreams away from her that he was pushing her away?

He knew he was being foolish, he should just accept the fact that the two of them are going to be married soon and that he wasn't in a bad position at all, rather he was quite lucky some would say. He let out a sigh and stopped in his tracks to look up to see Kendo was walking towards him. She told him she had something she wanted to say and the weird nervousness was coming back to him. He felt his palms getting clammy and his heart was starting to race along with his mind.

"Good evening Cifer …" She was right in front of him. She must have just gotten done with her hero duties. She was just wearing a set of casual clothes like she was finishing her day. She was standing there and he was to entranced with her to respond back. There was just something about her that could hold his attention for hours. The mix of her orange hair with the complexion of her skin, the way those teal eyes shined in the night, the way her clothes hugged her toned form. He had a hard time tearing his attention from her body. "Earth to Cifer?"

He blinked a few times coming back to reality. "Oh sorry … I was just thinking …" He couldn't get the words out. This nervous feeling was overtaking him and was quickly becoming too much. He was doing his best not to shake in front of her. "It's good to see you, Kendo …"

"Same here, but I wanted to talk to you about something…" She looked like she was nervous about something as well. He couldn't understand why she was nervous as well. "I don't know how else to say this but this hard for me to say …" She started to have a sadden look on her face, he wasn't liking where this was going.

"You don't have to worry, it is better to say what's on your mind than to hold it in." He wanted to say it, to confirm a deep-seated doubt he held for everything in the world. He hoped his words were enough for her to be able to say what was on her mind, even if he didn't really want to hear it.

"Okay …" She looked him right in his eyes, he was taking in the teal color of them. "Cifer, I can't do this … I mean I don't hate you, and I think I might even like you." She pulled his hands out of his pockets cupping them in hers. The warm feeling of her skin on his was actually quite wonderful. He was surprised he didn't flinch like he always did when someone other than his mother moved to touch him. "But you are going to be marrying Momo, and she is one my good friends. I can't do this to her so I think we should just stop seeing each other …"

She was right, but he felt his heart sink in his chest. He didn't want this, he didn't want to be married off to a woman against her will. Sure, she has said many times that she was okay with it, but he wasn't sure if he was okay with it. This was a harsh world, was there really nothing he had a choice in? He couldn't blame Kendo, she was just trying to be a good friend and he was being a terrible person by trying to push Momo away to pursue her friend.

"I … understand …" He looked down at her hands covering his. This was going to be the last time he got see her, and most certainly was going to be the last time he was going to feel like this for someone. He could feel the weight of everything pressing down on him, for the first time he wasn't sure how to really respond. "I'm sorry to have put you in this situation …"

"There's no need to be sorry, if anything it should be me. I knew from the start that you and Momo were arranged to be married. I don't know, maybe I thought something would change …" She gave him a half smile as she looked away for a bit. She must have been trying to gather her thoughts. "Cifer, you are a nice guy … don't forget that …" She let go of his hands and walked off in a separate direction from him. Part of him wanted to chase after her, but the logical side of him told himself to not to run after her. At this moment she was just a dream he would be chasing after.

He just turned and walked off into the other direction heading for home. This was going to be a long walk home. He never felt rejection like this before. He felt foolish for trying to pursue something that would have been his choice. The one time he wanted something that was his choice in life it ended up being out of his reach. It was laughable at how pathetic his life was, he didn't have a choice but to follow the path that was laid out for him by his father.

He was like a zombie just wandering the streets unsure of what to do. He must have looked the part of a villain as people were giving him space as he continued to walk the streets. He was thinking of what to do or even of where he should go. He didn't want to go home just yet, there was nothing there but emptiness that reminded him of how his life was. It was too depressing to go be by himself but at the same time he should do something to keep his mind off of things.

Yes, a good workout would probably do him some good. He needed to get his mind off of things right now, and he wasn't sure if he could keep everything bottled up inside any longer. He needed to get home quickly before he did something brash and something that he would regret later. How could he feel this way after only meeting someone a few times was ridiculous? It was going to be a long night and probably one to where he wasn't going to sleep either.

[ A ]

Momo was at home looking out her bedroom window with a solemn look cast on her. She was trying to get over the feeling that she was being rejected despite that his actions were telling her differently. Though the only thing she could say he was doing in regards to rejecting her was being distant with her. It was always her reaching out to him to start anything between them, maybe she was forcing him a little too much.

She was sure there was something she was missing, from her experience guys always approached her enthusiastically but Cifer would act completely different. He would be a little distant and reserved with his interactions with her to the point they rarely made eye contact. Was he displeased with her appearance? Or was she not what he liked in a woman? It was hard to say, she never really got know any of his interests or anything about outside of few things about. He might as well be a stranger to her.

She was determined to get know him a little better, and each time she did he would respond with gentle words or kind gestures. It was like there was two sides to him, maybe he was like that because being so high up in the business world. It was weird how she wanted to know more about him, there was just such an alluring mystery about him. She just had to know more about the man.

She had told Itsuka about the arrangement but maybe she should say something to Kyoka as well. It would only be right, she can't just tell one friend without telling the other. She looked over to her phone wondering if it was too late to call her friend. She didn't want to bother her if she was trying to get some sleep. After all everyone in her class was moving on with their careers as heroes, she was the only one that seemed to be limbo. But, then again Cifer said she was free to pursue her dreams and when he said those words, she knew he meant it.

How could he say such kind words about hoping to free her from this arrangement and at the same time be so distant with her? But he did always refer to it as a burden, was that all this was to him? Maybe that's how he viewed her, just as a burden to his life. She got up from her bed, her thoughts were too much of a jumble right now and she needed to calm down. A nice cup of tea would help her do that.

When she made her way down stairs, she saw her mother had already made a pot and must have just finished preparing hers. The kettle was still letting some steam come out of it showing to her it was still very hot. Her mother was busy reading something but she was aware of her presence in the room, "Is everything alright dear?"

She made herself a cup of tea and joined her mother, "No, I wish I could say that it was …" She was pausing on her words. "I don't know what to do with Cifer, it's feeling like he is being very distant at times, but then he does things that on contrary to his actions." She took a quick sip of her tea before looking over to her mother.

"Oh, I see … are you having second thoughts about getting married to him?" It was logical question for her mother to ask but it wasn't what she was worried about. She was more interested in trying to crack his shell and learn more about him. But she had to admit to herself that she really didn't know how he felt about the whole situation other than he didn't want it for her.

"No mother, I have accepted the arrangement. At first, I did it for our family's business and the people that worked for us. If I can do something to prevent their suffering then I would gladly do it. After all I want to be a hero, and if it meant that my dreams had to be put on hold for the sake of others, I am glad to do it." She was looking down at her cup, she was a practical person. If she had to put her dreams on hold for others, she wouldn't hesitate. She was fully aware of the financial state of her family's business and there were countless people who depended on them for a livelihood to care for their own families. It would be selfish of her to do something like that. Besides it wasn't like she was being handed off to a cretin, Cifer was the complete opposite of that.

"Mother, I actually am just a little frustrated that I can't seem to get him to open up to me. He is distant but at the same time he does and says things that are so gentle. I get to see a part of him that he hides from the world." She took another sip of her tea, the warm taste filling her mouth as the scent of it filled her nose. It was truly a coming effect for her.

"Is that all?" She could hear her mother was suppressing a giggle as she spoke. "It's simple little one, men aren't all that complicated but then again sometimes they are." What was she talking about? How could anyone be both, but then she realized that Cifer was behaving exactly like her mother's words were. "He is from a wealthy family and must have had a tough childhood being the first-born son. Just like your father, he was thrust into a world at a young age. Cifer must have put up some barriers to help protect himself."

Her mother was right, that must be why he was so distant towards her. He didn't know anything other than to push her away. It made her feel a little better, but she still felt a little sadden by the feeling she was being rejected by him. She laughed to herself that this was her penance for rejecting all those other boys that tried to ask her out. It felt like it was some poetic justice for her. Rejection does stink, and she wanted to know why he was rejecting her. It might make things a little easier for them.

"Thank you, mother, …" She hugged her mother; her words did help in their own way. She was grateful for having her mother always being there for her. Maybe now she could find a way to break through Cifer's barriers and get to know a little bit of the mystery that was him. Looking at the clock on the wall it wasn't too late, she still had a chance to talk things over with Kyoka too. She had to let her friend know what was happening in her life.

[ A ]

Itsuka was winding down for the day, more specifically she was trying to wipe her mind of Cifer. Even thinking about him felt like she was betraying her friend. She felt bad for even having a little flame for him. It was only a few times that they went out together and to call them a date would be pushing it by any standard. But when he was around her anyone could see that he was letting some of his guard down for her. She felt a little disappointed in herself for not getting know him a little better.

She was able to move into a place of her own pretty quickly, just a simple apartment. She didn't need much to get by and right now she was putting in a lot of hours so she wasn't really home much anyway. She wanted to focus on her hero work and not really spend a lot of time on anything domestic. She was building her future and only focused on being a great hero.

She sat down on her couch in her living room, her mind was starting wonder over to Cifer again. She felt bad for rejecting him, she could easily see he had feelings for her. But the relationship just didn't seem right to her. Tonight, she felt more like a bad guy, she just abruptly ended it and didn't even let him counter her. She didn't take his feelings into consideration at all. He must feel completely terrible right now, being utterly rejected and pushed aside. But she didn't have the strength to stand there and listen to him tell his side. She just cut it off as cold as possible and hope he would move on with Momo.

She should talk to him but she knew she should give him a bit of space. He most likely didn't want to talk to her. He had every reason to not want to talk to her, she was the one to crush his pursuit of her. There was no one else but her that had that power over him. When did life become so complicated? All she wanted to do was become a great hero but here she was trying to figure out her feelings while not destroying her friendship with her best friend.

She should say something to Momo as well. Her friend should know what the two of them were doing. It was just a simple conversation, but it was going to have a lot of weight to it. It had the power to destroy their friendship, Momo had already told her about the arranged marriage and yet she still let him court her. She rationalized it by saying those nights weren't dates but just two people getting to know each other better. She didn't know how to approach this, maybe she should talk to someone about this.

She had to get some sleep tonight since she did have to be on duty tomorrow. She knew giving him some space was good and maybe she should wait to talk to Momo as well. Her hero duties would help to provide a bit of a distraction for her. Working out, improving her skills further, and staying focused on her dream was a good option for her. This weekend she will talk to Momo, she wanted to talk to her first.

[ A ]

Momo finally decided to call Kyoka. It was a little later than she wanted to but it still wasn't too late. The line rang a few times before she heard her friend pick up, she was a bit taken back by her friend's response, Kyoka sounded like she was wide awake. She must have been just practicing one of the many instruments she had. "Hello Kyoka, sorry to bother you so late."

"Yo, no it's not a problem Yaomomo. I couldn't sleep tonight anyway…" There was a muffled sound on the other side of the line, she must have been putting away somethings when she called. "So, what's up?"

"Ah … well … I have a something that's been keeping me up as well." She was a little hesitant to talk about it with Kyoka, but she still needed to get it out. Maybe talking to one of her friends will help make sense of everything. "It's about an issue that involves me and well my family as well …"

"What could be that bad that you would lose sleep over it?" Kyoka's attitude was straightforward and always to the point, one of the many aspects she admired about her friend. She could tell in her voice as well she wanted to get to the point.

"My parents agreed to an arranged marriage to the another very wealthy family in order to save our family's business. I agreed when they asked me, I couldn't let those worked for my family suffer and lose their livelihoods." She was being truthful with those words, she didn't want anyone to suffer, but that wasn't what was plaguing her thoughts lately.

"Are you worried about the guy? Did you meet him already? Wait, which family is it? Could it be you're marrying Todoroki?" She could hear her friend take a seat, she had a lot of questions too. They made some sense, and it was good that the man she was arranged to marry was not a classmate making this a little less awkward. But, Kyoka had a point in thinking she was going to end up with Todoroki, many of the students at U.A. thought just as much as her friend did. The two of them hung around a lot, though she couldn't speak for him she on the other hand only had an admiration for him as a friend. There really wasn't much more to it.

"No, he is actually rather nice and no I am not marrying Todoroki." She wanted to get that bit of information out first. Kyoka wasn't one to gossip but Momo didn't want anyone to feel mislead by their own assumption. "I did meet him a few times, he is Salvatore Cifer …" That name must have startled her friend because she heard a loud cough come across the line.

"Wait, wait … you're not talking about that Cifer right?" Kyoka seemed a little confused and wanted to make sure that they were talking about the same person.

"Y-Yes … Salvatore Cifer from the Cifer family. He is one of the wealthiest people in the world …" She hoped Kyoka wouldn't dwell on the wealthy part of his family but on her next words. "What is keeping me up is that he is a bit confusing. He tries his best to be distant but at the same time he does these little things that … I don't know … make feel a little different." She did want to admit just yet that there was something she starting to feel for the man. Given the situation neither of them should be able to develop any sort of feelings for each other.

"Okay … you want to give me some more details on how he does these little things for you?" Her friend knew right away that she was hiding the truth in her words, but how could it hurt anything by telling her best friend some of the details?

"Well it feels like I am the one initiating getting together, but then he does things like holding the door, opening the car door for me, telling me I am free to pursue me dream regardless of what our families agreed on." She didn't know it, but a smile was starting to pull at her lips as she recounted the events that she shared with him. "When He opens up a bit, I can see an entirely different person there. I mean, he's not nasty or villainous person, he just can be cold and distant at times." She was beginning to feel the same frustration from before, she wanted him to let her in for some reason and he simply wasn't doing it.

"Well, to be honest Yaomomo, I will have to meet him and see what he's like. He sounds a little complicated. It's a little hard to give any input with such a vague description." Momo could hear the sigh of her friend over the phone. "We should meet up, but it might be awhile before we are able to. He might not want to at first …"

"I guess … I wouldn't hold your breath on it, he doesn't seem to do much outside of their family business. But that would be nice if we could." She let herself fall onto her bed as she looked up to the ceiling. She couldn't understand how she was feeling such mixed emotions about this man.

"I'm still helping out with my dad's band for a bit before I start at the agency, want to hit up the Starbucks in the morning?" She had nothing to do and it would be nice talk this out to her friend in person.

"Of course, we can do that. I can meet anytime!" Since graduation it felt like their class has been drifting apart. It was the point in their lives were everyone was starting their new lives and building their dreams to a new level. She wanted to be able to join her friends and classmates, but she was still worried about the agreements and terms of the arranged marriage. She wanted to cry but at the same time his words ran through her head, he wanted her to pursue her dreams regardless of the what was agreed on. It she was suddenly feeling warm and fuzzy inside just by remembering those words.

"How does 10am sound Yaomomo?"

"That's perfect Kyoka! See ya tomorrow!" She heard her friend laugh back at her and said that same. It was going to be good to get out even if it is just for a little bit. There was no school work for her anymore, maybe she should go to a university. But she did have her license so it wasn't like it was going to be hard for her to be a hero. There were certainly a lot of agencies looking for her so it wasn't like she was dead in the water. She was just a little unsure of what the future will bring for her. All she could really do though was wait and see what tomorrow would bring for her.

[ A ]

It was late at night and Cifer was still feeling frustrated with everything, not even a long-winded workout was able to help him relieve it. It was becoming a bit ridiculous, life before was easy to control, his emotions were always able to be kept in check. It was a pain now to even keep the stoic façade up in front of everyone. He had to let this deep seated well of emotions out before it got the better of him.

He didn't want his personal life to affect his work life, it was always a good point to leave business as business and personal as personal. There less complications in life that way and nothing in business would become too personal. When those lines are crossed it always meant damnation for the individual, and he couldn't have that. He had to show his was an excellent choice to take this burden, the mantle of the family.

He worked out for so long his body was getting tired before his mind was even close to reaching the same point. He was wide awake and filled with his feelings of being rejected and not being able to have his own choice in life. He just couldn't let her go, but he had to. The woman he was arranged to deserved at least that. So, then he would have to isolate himself and undergo a self-purge. He felt like he had to completely blank his mind of Kendo to allow for Yaoyorozu to have a fair chance at this unique relationship they had.

Part of him wished he had someone to talk to, he never once developed any friendships in his life. Everything was planned from the moment his little brother was born. He didn't have a choice in his path at life, and his one and only choice was to bare this burden so his younger brother didn't have to. What should he do at this point? Having and maintaining a relationship with a woman was a bit foreign to him and he didn't want to talk about it to his mother. Maybe he should just read up on it and gather some information that way.

The least he can do is try to not be rejected by the woman he was arranged to be married to. Still, it was her choice on whether or not to proceed forward with everything. He didn't want to be the one to push her, he wanted to make sure she was the one to take the lead in this. If she didn't want to than it was her right to do so, and they will figure something out to make this agreement between their respective families work.

This was not an ideal situation, but he would have to do it. If this fell through his father was going to be furious with him. The thought of pissing off his father does at first sound appealing but the backlash that his father would bring upon him wouldn't be worth it. This was a mess and it wasn't like a business that could be solved with a hard dose of logic, this was going to need something else and it was something that was going to take time for him to find.

[ A ]

It was finally morning, and the sun was shining into the room warming up the air nicely. It was so comfortable that Momo didn't want to get up for the morning. Opening her eyes and slowly getting out of bed, she remembered she had to meet Kyoka today. Then the weight of the conversation from last night started to feel heavy on her chest. She was reminded of all the conflicting feelings she had for Cifer and about the arranged marriage. She wasn't going to back out of the arrangement, but he was the one to always push away and tell her that she didn't have to go through with it.

She got ready quickly, showered and getting dressed. It was already 9:30am and she was supposed to meet Kyoka soon, she could just have breakfast at the café. She rushed out of her house and started out to the café, it was close enough that she could walk and still get there in a reasonable time. Once she was outside, she felt how the air was refreshing, it wasn't overbearingly hot today and there was a pleasant breeze to help keep things cool. It made her feel like today was going to be wonderful day and that everything was going to make sense for her.

As she made her way there, she looked at the town to see the peaceful people. Everyone was just going about day and enjoying life. She would see the families walk past her and couldn't help but to entertain the thought of having a family. A family was starting to become a reality, she was going to be married and soon have a family. She did want one thing to happen first, she wanted to really know the man she was going to marry. It seemed like it was fair concept to have.

She rounded the corner to see Kyoka along with Ashido sitting at a table outside. She just wanted to talk to her friend but maybe another opinion would help her. Now Ashido wasn't the best she had in mind but she knew her classmate would at least be honest in her opinion of the arrangement. "Good Morning, Kyoka, Ashido!"

"Morning Yaomomo!" They both greeted her back, Kyoka was a little laid back today while Ashido was filled with energy. She could only wish she had her classmate's energy sometimes. Momo sat down with her friends after quickly making her order at the counter nearby. There was enough shade from the canopy to protect them from the sun but still let just the right amount of light in for it to pleasant.

She couldn't help but share in the radiant mood she was feeling from the café and her friends. Her nervousness went away about the conversation she wanted to have with Kyoka and was replaced with a sense of comfort that it was going to work out for the best. "How are you doing today?" She directed towards both of them as she sat down.

"I'm doing … awesome!" Ashido practically cheered outward with her hands in the air. She was clearly in good spirits. Momo could always enjoy that carefree side of her sometimes, Ashido always seemed to be relaxed regardless of the events around her.

"I'm great, finally done loading up everything for my dad. Do you still want to talk about it?" Jiro wanted to make sure if Momo was still interested in talking about their conversation from last night with Ashido there.

"Wait? Talk about what Yaomomo? Are you okay?" Ashido had a very curious but somewhat concerned look on her face as she stared towards Momo.

"Well …" She feeling a little hesitant, it was a personal matter even though there wasn't anything inappropriate about it. "Ashido, I would like your opinion on this matter as well if you don't mind, but please don't broadcast it to anyone else." She knew that it would eventually become public knowledge but for now she wanted to keep it to herself and try to have time to work out the details of what was happening between her and Cifer. "I've been set up in an arranged marriage, and first before you respond, yes I agreed to it. My parents were upfront with the arrangement and it was to help my family's business stay open."

"Okay … so you agreed to it, are you having second thoughts about everything then or is it the guy you are marrying? Wait! Who are you marrying?" Ashido was very quick with her questions and seemed a little curious as well.

"No! It's not the guy, but this is about him … I don't have second thoughts because of him. I only wish he wasn't so distant with me …" Before she could continue Ashido was already trying to guess who she was going to marry.

"Are you marrying Todoroki! OMG! I think you two would be a cute couple, definitely a power couple …" Momo wouldn't say that Todoroki wasn't a desirable man, she just never connected with him and though they decided to stay friends it was a little hard for her turn him down when he confessed to her. She didn't want to lead his hopes along if she was going to be married off to another man, as well as she didn't believe she shared the same feelings for him that he held for her.

"No, it's not Todoroki, we're just friends … the man I am marrying is from the Cifer family." She whispered the last part hoping not draw too much attention to her from everyone around her. Everybody around the world knew who the Cifer family was, their family's business interests stretched all over the world. She looked up finally to see Ashido's face brighten up.

"Oh my … just wow! You mean to say you are arranged to marry the wealthiest bachelor in our time?" Ashido certainly had stars in her eyes and clearly wanted to know as much details as possible. Maybe later she can entertain her classmate, right now she really just wanted some insight on everything. "When did you become arranged to him?"

"Yes … he is I suppose, and it was done well before my tenure at U.A." She thanked the server as her order was placed on the table. "I guess I don't know how I can connect to him, his is so distant and it seems like he is actively avoiding me." She took a bite from her sandwich knowing that there will be a barrage of questions from her friends now. But she also wanted to reflect on her own thoughts, there still was a cloud around him.

"I guess it will take time, but both of you have to want to make the effort. I would hate to see you in a bad relationship Yaomomo." Jiro had a serious look on her face as she looked towards her. Momo could tell it was coming from experience and as a true best friend.

"Hey, try an activity that you both are new to. That worked with me and Eijiro! He was so nervous in the beginning but doing something that we both never did before was a good ice-breaker." She clapped her hands together, Ashido seemed to have more ideas about this and more experience.

"Something new?" She looked forward blankly, she was really trying to think of some things that they could do together. She knew for him there was so much he never had the chance to experience, and for her there was a lot as well given her lineage. "What could we possibly do together …" She was mumbling to herself.

"It doesn't have to be a grand event, just something simple Yaomomo." Ashido was laughing a bit as she spoke lightening the mood a little. "How about just a walk on the beach?"

That was a simple idea and it was a practical one. She would still have to get him to open up a bit. Trying to contact him and get to him to agree to it was going to be hard. "Okay, but what if he refuses …" She was cut off by a car pulling up to the café, one that seemed to be a bit out of place and looked extremely expensive. It couldn't be him, could it? She even saw her friends look over to check out the car. It was a solid black color with an elegant design. The she saw him get out of the car and her eyes widened.

He didn't seem to notice her just yet as he was making his way into the café. She could see others around them start to whisper trying to confirm who they just saw. She wasn't expecting to see him so soon, was he having a busy day? Did he frequent this spot a lot? Just as quickly as he entered, he was walking out. It was then that he saw her and looked a little shocked to see her as well. She swallowed hard, loud enough for her friends to hear her. He looked like he was hesitant to approach her, should she say something or motion him over?

Luckily, he made his decision to walk up to her, he might have been a little nervous due to her friends being there with her. He was slowly making his to them, and as he got closer, she was sure he was very nervous despite his stoic façade. She was paying attention to the way he moved his hand into his pocket while the other tightened slightly around the coffee cup he was caring. "Hello … Ladies …" Yup, he was nervous. She could almost hear his voice crack a bit. She smiled back not really paying any attention to those around her. For some reason he had captured her undivided attention.

"Hello Cifer …" She wanted to say more but she was suddenly very nervous to ask such a simple question. He standing in front of her almost waiting for her to continue, but he could see her hesitation as well. It was a good thing he was going to help her out of it too.

"Yaoyorozu, I want to apologize for being … a little distant …" His words were soft and were easily picked up by her ears. It wasn't like he was brushing her off, his words were genuine. This was precisely what she was trying to explain to her mother, to her friends. He just comes out of nowhere with words and actions like this and starts to melts her heart for him.

"Oh … it's alright you are very busy …" All she could do as a response and sheepishly turn away slightly hoping to hide some of the blush tinting her cheeks faintly. Momo did her best but her friends knew when to take their exit. She was left at the table by herself with Cifer who took a seat with her once her friends quickly waved a silent goodbye to her.

"I'm sorry, did I rudely interrupt your conversation?" He was looking straight at her, all she could do was clear her throat a bit and take a sip of her coffee.

"Oh no, actually I wanted to … talk to you about something …" She looked back up to him to see him pale a little bit. It was the first time she saw a nervous look on his face, or at least look like that one. It was as if he was fearful of what she was going to say next. She had to clarify what she wanted to say and be careful about how she says to him, she didn't want to give the wrong impression to him. "Would you like to maybe … spend the day at the beach with me Cifer?"

She wanted to let out a laugh when she saw the color return to his face as he took in her words. "Oh … did you want to go today?" He was lightly scratching his cheek, it was a little cute to him act a little nervously. She could help but to think that he was adorable at the moment.

"Well … if you have time we can. I know you have a busy schedule and I have to head back to my home …" He looked a little more relieved but also a little confused by her rant.

"Well I have to head home too, but I'll take you home first and then we can head to my place if that's okay?" She didn't know why she was being hesitant when he already said it was fine, was she trying not to impose too much?

"S-Sure, if you don't mind … Thank you …" He nodded and he didn't have to say anything but it obvious that he was going to wait for her to finish. She watched him scroll through his phone as she finished up her breakfast. She watched as the bridge of his nose scrunched a little bit at something he was reading, or how his eyebrow raised a little bit. One had to pay real close attention to even notice the subtle changes, he wasn't so stoic anymore. She was beginning to understand the unique language of Salvatore Cifer.


End file.
